DIGS

Uncovering the Burial Practices of Early Christian Spain

The Lucena necropolis, known to archaeologists as “Cortijo Coracho,” is one of the largest cemeteries in Spain from the Late Antiquity period and was partially excavated during 2003. From the archaeological excavation work, 273 tombs could be documented, and 397 individuals could be counted, of which 151 have been analyzed so far.

According to the first hypotheses, this cemetery was surrounding an early Christian church that must have been founded with the construction of a martyrium or memory to bury the corpse of a saint or martyr in the area. The burials correspond to a community of settlers and peasants during the times of the Visigoth and Byzantine domination of this territory of Spain.

The skeletal remains in this collection are in an excellent state of preservation and also belong to articulated, practically complete individuals. Bioanthropology internships will serve to complete the ongoing osteological research study, and participants will learn the techniques of analyzing and recording information from human skeletal remains in an archaeological context. In this lab-based course, both lecture and experiential learning will be used to enable students to gain confidence in the identification and analysis of various skeletal conditions. The bone collection of the “Cortijo Coracho” necropolis is deposited in the Archaeological Museum of Lucena (Córdoba, Spain). The students will carry out much of the practices of bioarchaeology in this museum.

Details

Geographic Location

Córdoba, Southern Spain

Dates of the Dig

14 July - 29 July, 2022

Minimum Stay

2 Weeks

Application Due

Monday, July 1, 2022

Cost

Directors

Contact

Fernando Contreras Rodrigo
[email protected]

Phone: +34 608894650

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